Armed pro-Russia separatists secure the site where the ill-fated Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 flight MH17 crashed near Grabovo in Donetsk, Ukraine on Thursday, July 17. All 298 people aboard were killed in the crash, which sharply raised the stakes in a conflict between Kiev and pro-Moscow rebels. Reuters/Maxim Zmeyev

MANILA (Mabuhay) – Malacañang on Saturday assured relatives of the three Filipinos who perished in Friday’s Malaysia Airlines MH17 tragedy of assistance in trying to repatriate the remains of their loved ones.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said this includes facilitating the trips of the relatives to Malaysia or The Netherlands.

“Handa naman tayong mag-extend ng ganoong assistance (for repatriation). Normally we extend repatriation assistance to loved ones of Filipinos who may have perished in other countries so handa tayo magbigay ng assistance,” she said on government-run dzRB radio.